The chemistry between the student and teacher in a classroom is a very interesting topic.
From the student's point of view, they need someone they can relate with. Someone who they can speak with and above all trust completely. They need the affirmation from their teachers that they are special, and that they have the ability. They need teachers who will treat them as equals and consider their little problems as real problems and discuss it with them like adults. As children we really want to be taken seriously and treated with respect. Something which often the grown ups fail to understand. For young students, learning is seldom ever the primary objective in going to school. It is merely the by-product of their interactions with other students and teachers, their surroundings and the experiences that they get in the school.
On the other hand, teachers feel that a student should respect them, listen to them and learn from them. They have the experience and the knowledge and which by default puts them in a position of authority over the students. However the experience, knowledge and the power does not mean much to a student who feels misunderstood or weak or simply wants the attention. The knowledge and authority of a teacher therefore does not automatically translate into respect and trust from the student. Which is why many times there is a communication gap between the two.
From my personal experience, I have had teachers who walked into the class with an air of superiority. Some of them controlled a class by injecting fear of punishment in the hearts of students. Some of them were so unapproachable, I could never ask them questions, I felt silly to stand up and let everyone know that I wasn't following a thing.
According to me the teacher who walks into a classroom with a view of controlling the class has already lost half the battle in making his students more receptive to him. No doubt we do a lot of things because of fear, but I think we have the potential of doing a lot more when we see the sense of doing it and want to do it for our own reasons.
Looking back at the times when I have been a student, I think I would really have liked a teacher who walked into the classroom with the view of learning and helping others learn in the process. That would be my instant connection with the teacher, that we are both here to learn. That we are both here to absorb equally from each other. That we are both contributing to each others process of gaining knowledge.
Professional teachers may disagree with me, or may be able to throw some light over my mere observations. Do help me understand what steps are taken to improve the chemistry between a student and teacher in a classroom? What makes a student want to listen to a teacher without force? How do you communicate and connect with your students?
From the student's point of view, they need someone they can relate with. Someone who they can speak with and above all trust completely. They need the affirmation from their teachers that they are special, and that they have the ability. They need teachers who will treat them as equals and consider their little problems as real problems and discuss it with them like adults. As children we really want to be taken seriously and treated with respect. Something which often the grown ups fail to understand. For young students, learning is seldom ever the primary objective in going to school. It is merely the by-product of their interactions with other students and teachers, their surroundings and the experiences that they get in the school.
On the other hand, teachers feel that a student should respect them, listen to them and learn from them. They have the experience and the knowledge and which by default puts them in a position of authority over the students. However the experience, knowledge and the power does not mean much to a student who feels misunderstood or weak or simply wants the attention. The knowledge and authority of a teacher therefore does not automatically translate into respect and trust from the student. Which is why many times there is a communication gap between the two.
From my personal experience, I have had teachers who walked into the class with an air of superiority. Some of them controlled a class by injecting fear of punishment in the hearts of students. Some of them were so unapproachable, I could never ask them questions, I felt silly to stand up and let everyone know that I wasn't following a thing.
According to me the teacher who walks into a classroom with a view of controlling the class has already lost half the battle in making his students more receptive to him. No doubt we do a lot of things because of fear, but I think we have the potential of doing a lot more when we see the sense of doing it and want to do it for our own reasons.
Looking back at the times when I have been a student, I think I would really have liked a teacher who walked into the classroom with the view of learning and helping others learn in the process. That would be my instant connection with the teacher, that we are both here to learn. That we are both here to absorb equally from each other. That we are both contributing to each others process of gaining knowledge.
Professional teachers may disagree with me, or may be able to throw some light over my mere observations. Do help me understand what steps are taken to improve the chemistry between a student and teacher in a classroom? What makes a student want to listen to a teacher without force? How do you communicate and connect with your students?
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